noun · 2 senses · updated from the 2026-07-25 local source snapshot
Definitions and examples are grouped by meaning. Pronunciation, history, word forms, translations, descendants, synonyms, antonyms, derived terms, and related words appear whenever the source provides them.
Sound
Pronunciation
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Received-Pronunciation:/ˌkæm.ə.ɹə əbˈskjʊə.ɹə/
Received-Pronunciation:/ˌkæm.ɹə əbˈskjʊə.ɹə/
General-American:/ˌkæm.ɚ.ə əbˈskjʊɚ.ə/
General-American:/ˌkæm.ɹə əbˈskjʊɚ.ə/
1
noun
Meaning 1
A darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface.
Definition source: English Wiktionary via Wiktextract
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
2
noun
Meaning 2
a darkened enclosure in which images of outside objects are projected through a small aperture or lens onto a facing surface
Definition source: Princeton WordNet 3.0
No example sentence was provided for this meaning.
Meaning relationships
Synonyms: none provided
Antonyms: none provided
Broader terms: chamber
History
Etymology
From New Latin camera obscūra (literally “dark chamber”); compare camera.
Across languages
Translations
17 source translations are retained for this English entry.
Bulgarian:
ка́мера обску́ра
(kámera obskúra)
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Chinese Mandarin:
暗箱
(ànxiāng)
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Chinese Mandarin:
暗匣
(ànxiá)
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Finnish:
neulanreikäkamera
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Finnish:
camera obscura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
French:
chambre noire
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
German:
Camera obscura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Greek:
σκοτεινός θάλαμος
(skoteinós thálamos)
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Hebrew:
לִשְׁכָּה אֲפֵלָה
(lishká afelá)
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Hungarian:
sötétkamra
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Italian:
camera oscura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Polish:
camera obscura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Portuguese:
câmera escura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Portuguese:
câmara escura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Russian:
ка́мера-обску́ра
(kámera-obskúra)
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Spanish:
cámara oscura
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
Welsh:
siambr dywyll
— darkened chamber in which the image of an outside object is projected and focused onto a surface
